Improvement in regulating chronometers, watches



3 Sheets--Sheet 1.

L. EATON. Regulating Chronometers, Watches, &c. N0, 163,981I PatentedJune1,1875.

THE GRAPHIC CG PHOT()l.ITH.39&41PARK PLACLNAY.

"" 3Sheets--Sheet2 L. EATON.

Regulating Chronometers, Watches, &c. N0. 163,98L Patentedluneh.

THE GRAPHIC C6.PHOT0 `LHNu'iQBuH PARK PUGEJLY.

3 Sheets-Shee 3` L. EATN.

Regulating Chronometers, Watches, &c. No. 163,981.. Patentedlunema.

THE GRAPHIC CU.PH'0T0-LITH.39&41 PARK PLACEJLY,

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEANDER EATON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN REGULATING CHRONOMETERS, WATCHES, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 163,981, dated June l,1875 application tiled March 8, 1875.

. To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, LEANDER EATON, of Worcester, in the county ofWorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Watches; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference heilig had tothe accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

The nature of 'my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a device for regulating chronometers, watches, and clocks, as will behereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings which forma part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a plan view,showing my invention in position on a watch. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtaken on the lineman. Fig. 3 shows the hair-spring holder in detail.Fig. 4t shows the regulator-frame and hair-spring lock in detail.

A represents the regulator-frame, which is provided with two arms, f j',one on either side of the cut h. These arms preserve the rigidity of theframe while allowing the cut h to open when being sprung upon thebridge.

One end, z, of the regulator-frame is provided with the hair-springlock, which consists of a plate, B, provided with the jaw u, said platebeing secured to the under side of the regulator-frame by a screw ateither end. D is a bolt passed through an opening, d, in the end z ot'the regulator-frame, and is held in position by a projecting jaw, e, onthe lever E. The boltD is provided with a rounded point upon one side,and it is made concave on the opposite side, having a narrow bearingupon the extreme edges.

Then the hair-sprin g is in position it is held firmly between the jaw nof the plate B and the narrow bearing of the bolt D.

The rounded point ofthe bolt D bears upon the projecting jaw e ot' thelever E, and, being freely movable upon it, it adjusts itself perfectlyto the hair-sprin g. The lever E is held and operated by means ot' alever, o.

The index a, of the regulator A, is provided with a sight, I, which isplaced upon the timetable G. A frame, H, is placed upon the time tableGr, and is secured to it by screws, which pass through either end andinto the bridge B. Upon the frame and over the sight I is placed awasher, K, on which is pivoted a lever, L, for fastening the index tothe timetable.

The adjustable hair-spring holder consists of a sliding plate, t,provided with a jaw, n,A

which plate is placed on the projecting part w of the bridge andfastened to it by means of a washer, d, and lever Through the plate t ispassed a movable jaw, b, held in position by a lever, y. The hair-springis held in position between the jaw q and the movable jaw b.

By the construction of the regulator-frame A, as described, each moveofthe regulator will always be true to the movement indicated by theindex.

The hair-spring lock takes hold of the hairspring with the gripe of avise while working, giving the hair-spring always one permanent and firmbase of action. There is no trembling or changing ot' base of action ofthe hairspring, thereby causing it tov establish` an exact proportionalrelation on the timetable between time and distance, thus measuring timemathematically when locked, and measuring like any other watchthat is,irregularlywhen unlocked. The point of accurate measurement of time canthus always be found on the timetable.

Another advantage of the lock is that the hair-spring is held irml y inplace, and is prevented from being thrown out of position, as frequentlyoccurs in the regulator now in use.

The index a can be locked, as described, to the bridge during thelocking or unlocking of the hair-sprin g.

The adjustable hair-spring holder is used as an auxiliary to theregulator in obtaining the proper adjustment of the hair-spring formathematical measurement of time, the advantage being in its ready andeasy adaptan tion to any position; whether it be desired to change it tothe right or left, forward or back, to or from the center. It takes holdof the hair-spring without bending or turning it, and always holds it atright angles to the center pinion otthe balance-wheel. It is also aquicker and easier method ot' obtaining aperi'ect adjustment, andfacilitates the labor of getting the watch in heat.

In the operation ot' regulating` a watch with this device the hairspringlocl: is iirst unlocked by means of the lever c. rlhe index is thenunlocked by means of the lever L, and then moved the required distanceand locked by the washer K and lever L, so as to beheld iirmly in placethat it cannot slip during the subsequent locking of the hair-spring.

In the ordinary regulator the hair-sprin g is held firmly in thehair-spring stud, and vibrates freely between two pins attachedto anadjustable arm, which is moved back and forth in a circle, at will,alternately striking cach pin. \\`hen the springis impinged upon eitherpin the movement ot' the watch is faster than during the vibration ofthe spring. It will be seen that a watch must alternately run faster andslower than the correct time. Practice has shown that the regulationofthe movement of a watch by these means is simply guess-work, andrequires several weeks of close observation to secure accurate time. Inmy invention the hair-spring is attached at both ends (though bydiii'erent means, yet upon the principle of an ordinary regulator.)Instead of the two pins upon an arm I use a locking device, which holdsthe spring fast and gives a ixed base oi' action, rendering it possibleto malle an accurate calculation, and in accordance therewith to adjustand regulate the movement. Each watch, or rather each hair-spring,requires a separate calculation for regulating the same. For instance,if the'index is placed at one end of the timetable, and it is found thatthe watch gains thirty (30) seconds per hour, and it is then placed atthe other end ot' the time-table, and it is found that the watch losestwenty (20) seconds per hour, we have a total dit'terence between thetwo extremes ot titty (50) seconds. It will then be manifest thatthirty-liftieths ofthe time-table will represent the fast time, andtwenty-tiftieths represent the slow time. Suppose the time-table to bedivided into twenty parts, twelve ot' these parts will represent fast,and eight will represent slow, time. Now, move the index twelve partsfrom the fast end ofthe time-table, lock the hairspring, and theregulation ofthe movemcntis instant and correct.

It will be noticed that in the construction of my regulator I employ noscrew-heads in fastening any of the movable parts to the regulatoeframe, but I use screws with levers to hold the various parts,thereby preventing all displacement or injury to the bridge.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Ina regulator for watches, a hairspring lock for holding or lockin gthe hair-spring to give it a single, permanent, and iirm base ot'action, for the purposes herein set forth.

2. In a watch-regulator, the levers for fastening the movable oradjustable parts thereof', for the purposes herein set forth.

3. In a watch-regulator, the combination of a lock with the index of theregulator for the purposes herein set forth.

4. The regulator-frame A, constructed as described, with the arms f j'and cut It, substantially as and for the purposes herein sct forth.

5. The hair-spring lock consisting of the plate B with jaw n, bolt D,lever E with jaw c, and lever c, all constructed as described, andattached to the regulator-frame A, substantially as and for the purposesherein set forth.

6. The adjustable hair-spring holder, consisting of the plate c with jawg, movable jaw b, and levers x y, all constructed substantially as andfor the purposes herein set forth.

7. -The combination of the regulatorframe, hair-springlock, adjustablehair-sprin g holder, and the sight I, all substantially as and for thepurposes herein set forth.

LEANDER EATON.

Vitnesses U. K. BABCOCK, E. H. WHITNEY.

